The UFC announced Tuesday that recently re-signed Nick Diaz will face the returning Anderson Silva on January 31, 2015. The card will be in Vegas although no venue was announced.
Silva will be back from recovering from having his leg broken at UFC 168. Diaz will be back after contemplating retirement following his fight with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 158.
White had alluded to the possibility of the two matching up upon Diaz’s signing. Upon announcement of the fight, social media went crazy with anticipation for the fight.
The event will be UFC 183 and will be the annual card the night before the Super Bowl.
Payout Perspective:
This may be one where the marketing and promotion of the fight may exceed the actual fight itself. Diaz sold UFC 158 almost by himself. We might see something similar here. Certainly, this is a fight where the UFC can build some solid shoulder programming around. There is the story of Silva’s recovery and rehabilitation from an injury we thought would end his career. There is also the unpredictable Diaz. As for the fight itself, it’s not clear what shape these fighters will be by Super Bowl weekend next year.
Diego says
It will be an interesting, though meaningless fight. I’m OK with it. I’m sure the fight will be exciting since both guys are headcases. I’ll probably buy it.
Silva I understand since he’s recovering, but I’m surprised Diaz is waiting so long to get back in the cage. He will have been out 2 years. But that’s Diaz for you.
D says
It isn’t as meaningless as you think, because White may give Diaz a title shot if he wins convincingly. I think that would be bullshit because MacDonald deserves it more than anyone, but regardless.
Anti troll says
People will buy this PPV it will get media attention hopefully ufc adds more good fights.
BrainSmasher says
See this is why the trolls can’t look at the land scale and claim the UFC has no big PPV’s. Things change. Now I haven’t seen this much hype for a fight in a very long time. This will be another 1 million range PPV that people said didn’t exist. It come out of no where and they always do. Something always happens in a match or to a fighter that creates big fight opportunities. When someone goes on a long win streak we could get another. A rematch when Rousey loses could be big. Rubber matches are always huge when they happen at the right time with the right people. Plus the UFC stars are you do and relatively new. They will only get bigger.
Diego says
D – good point. It may wind up being meaningful after all, though it shouldn’t be.
Pink Pig says
If Diaz wins the UFC is over.
He will bring Pink Pig Dana to his knees… 🙂
Saldathief says
A great fight but seriously 2 guys that have lost their last 2 fights is the biggest fight the UFC can make? Im sure they both are getting a better pay day then actual champions. Also last super bowl show did horrible, will this one be a barn buster? I think it will do well, but they will hype the crap out of it and it will most likely under perform. They will try to stack this card with other good fights. Does Diaz really deserve a title shot if he beats Spider? Im sure dana promised him. Meanwhile 2014 looks like a real stinker ppv wise.
D says
Sal likes men.
kingx23x says
Heres the thing that many MMA fans dont understand.
Silva vs Diaz hitting 1m ppvs (it wont get over 700k) is not good for the UFC.
Both of them arent looking to stick around much longer.
Diaz is back for what? Two fights? Silva is really only going to come back to get back at Weidman for those two kinda fluke esque wins.
Them hitting 1m ppvs does nothing for the future of the sport or the brand.
It would be like Lennox Lewis coming out of retirement to fight Klitschko.
Huge numbers but wouldnt do shit for the progression of the sport.
When boxing has Mayweather vs Alvarez hitting 2.2mil ppvs, it helped built the Canelo franchise and now he is strictly a ppv fighter.
UFC is relying too much on Rousey. They try to build up Jones and Cain but it just doesnt work.
Jones vs Cormier and Gus is really all he has left and those probably will do 400k tops.
Cain has no one to fight except for JDS for a 4th time.
Pacquiao vs JMM 4 times and maybe a 5th was awesome and great.
Cain vs JDS 3 times was somewhat boring and really the only option they had.
Pacquiao and Marquezs 4 fights happened over 8 years and were clamored for and very good fights.
Cain vs JDS happens because thats really the only meaningful HW fight.
See the differences?
D says
King aka the Gayest, truly remains………THE GAYEST!!!! HAHAHA!!!